"Hahaha!" Ululus leaned back, his head lowered, and the sight of his knitted hands got blurred by his drooping eyes, 'Geniuses? Can geniuses sum the two of them up?
'Are they truly... three year old kids?' One of his eyes fell atop his daughter Mirra, who was being gently pushed away by Fria.
'That Mirra is three year old as well, is she just too stupid? Or are they something—'
"Uh," Ululus's second eldest child, the girl dragged along by Mirra, bowed her head a little while lifting her skirt, "I-I am Ufrra. It's nice to meet you."
Enix's eyes turned toward her, just before he could assess what Fria would expect from him, his sister stood up and moved her hand forward, "The eldest child of Duke Milian, Glafria Milian, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"U-Uh?! Y-Yes! likewise." Ufrra nodded with a dumbed head and shook her hand.
Enix scrutinised the exchange and the little curl around the edge of Fria's lips facing him—in contrast with her monotonous tone— and heaved a sigh internally.
"Where's your brother, Ufrra?" Ululus exhaled, feeling a strange emotion choke him seeing the three year old girl appearing to stand even taller than his seven year old daughter.
Ufrra looked toward her father and held her breath. For the first time, she felt her father's gaze trying to slap across her with stinging cold fingers, "I-I think brother is in the Practicing Grounds."
Ululus nodded and stared at Mirra, clinging on to the arm of the sofa on Fria's side, and fell mute.
The more the silence lengthened, the more Fria's face struggled to remain within bounds. Her eyes held a sheen of delight, as though they were looking down at everything within the room.
"Hmm!" Ululus nodded, "Ufrra, take your dear cousins and sister to a tour of the mansion. Keep them entertained through their stay, make them feel at home.
"Dear Purtris, if you may be so kind as to join them."
"As you desire, master." Purtris bowed before smiling toward the kids, "Let's go."
***
"Isn't our mansion huge?" Ufrra smirked, her strides catching impact. She had visited her cousin's mansion recently, and she could safely say it paled terribly compared to their's.
"Hmm, quite! I now sympathise with your wits— having to spend over half it's capacity in just remembering the passage to the bathroom." Fria nodded, her lips stretched out from admiration.
Enix coughed, whilst Mirra giggled and nodded, "True."
Ufrra's face twisted oddly, "I don't like how that sounded."
Enix sneaked a peek at the exasperated Purtris and nudged Fria, as her eyes met his, a silent conversation channeled across them. And Fria sighed and nodded.
"I haven't seen your brother, Mirra. Your eldest brother." Fria smiled toward the girl clinging on to her and asked politely.
"Uh!? Brother Trevor?" Her words stretched to a humming noise, her eyes closed as she thought before beaming open, "Oh! I remember he said he didn't want to meet you." Her brows squeezed cutely, "Saying some stuff about how he would rather die than come before you."
Purtris coughed dryly, still maintaining his poker face, and corrected his young mistress, "What she means to say is that Master Trevor is asleep. He doesn't find it pleasant to meet someone first thing after waking up."
Just as Fria's mouth opened, Enix elbowed her gently and nodded, "I see. Sounds like he is quite moody."
"Hahaha!" Purtris's eyes glinted and he sighed, 'Why am I so tensed by these children?'
Ufrra turned to glance at him and smiled, "But Jurju is awake... this is his time to practice, so I thought I would take you to visit our Practicing Grounds."
"I heard father praising you a lot. Even that you have now started some sword training?" Her narrowed, glinting eyes passed by Fria, "Hahaha!"
"Hmm? What's that laugh for?" Fria's voice prickled the ears and Enix's eyes froze atop her.
The air looked to be twisting in his eyes, and a sensation of his soul being grazed made his gut rattle. Just as he felt the chilling sensation of someone's anger bubbling out, and he intended to rivet Fria in her place, Ufrra exclaimed in delight, "Look, there he is!"
His extending hand froze, alongside Fria's feet about to stomp loudly to her ignorance.
Hearing the voice, the boy exhaling a steamy breath as his sword cleaved down, shrugging the sweat off his body, turned and stared. "Ufrra and... you, you" His expression turned, the practice sword slipping down his sweaty palm.
'He resembles his brother a lot... excluding the obtrusive madness.' Enix gulped, he could smell the trouble stirring in his sweat.
"If it isn't the esteemed young master, Glafria? With his ever so resplendent sister?" A twisted grin cracked on his face, with a fast gait, he bolted over with arms wide, "My apologies for my unsightly appearance, but I am just too glad to see you. Especially after hearing so much about you,"
"I was particularly enchanted after seeing the wonderous tales of your sister's beauty come true in front of me. And your wholesome hobbies of honing your art on defenseless people." He chuckled before shoving his hand into Fria's and giving it a heartful shake, before moving toward Enix.
Fria stared at her sweaty palm in silence for a while before snickering, "And here I thought that smell was of blood that day... turns out even the sweat is exceptionally repugnant of this family."
Enix saw Jurju's face ripple before calming, he stood silent for a while before turning his head toward Fria and smiling, "I have heard a great deal of praise about you, exceptionally about your splendid talents in swordplay. May you be kind enough to give me some suggestions?"
"Hmm?" Hearing Fria's humming voice, Enix felt his heart squirm a bit as her chest puffed out like hot glass being bloated into a fine shape, "Why not?" Her voice seemed covered in thorny vines, her head high in amusement.
Purtris stared at the exchange with a pale face, and hearing Fria's arrogant tone, had the urge to collapse, "Ri-ridiculous! The nine-year-old, esteemed second son of Duke Ululus sparring with a three-year-old child?"
"Mind you," Jurju rebutted fiercely, "Purtris, we are exchanging pointers! What is the shame in me giving my junior cousin tips?" Jurju cackled, directing his squinting eyes toward Fria.
"Mind you," Fria snapped and bit like an angry dog, "What may there be for I to learn from you? The, what? Second son of a duke?"
Jurju staggered a step back, something revolting gushing up his throst, churning his face pale and eyes wide. The second son of a duke!? These words... which had always been a source of great pride... why did they feel like an insult? Like a seering slap?